Apparatuses for emptying rail cars loaded with coal or similar flowables are known in the prior art in several configurations. A common drawback of the prior art devices has been exceedingly high cost of installation and operation due to the massive nature of the structures and the necessity for manufacturing gear or gear sectors having huge diameters. In one class of prior art car emptying apparatus, the car is moved inside of a large wheel-like device, where it is gripped and held while the device is bodily rotated by gearing or cable means toward and away from a car emptying position. This form of apparatus is very costly to manufacture and difficult and expensive to install.
A second form of prior art rail car emptying apparatus involves the entry of each car into a gripping device whose jaws are moved by one group of power cylinders, followed by lifting of each car as it is held by a second group of power cylinders to an intermediate position, in turn followed by rotation of the car and gripping device to an emptying position by a third group of power cylinders. This latter prior art system requires up to sixteen hydraulic cylinders in three different groups of varying sizes to effect the desired manipulation of the rail car. The system is complex, very costly and requires relatively complicated controls and substantial maintenance.
Accordingly, it is a prime object of this invention to substantially improve on the known prior art through the provision of a rail car emptying apparatus which is more simplified and practical, considerably less expensive to build and install, requires less maintenance and possesses a simpler mode of operation with the utilization of substantially fewer power cylinders compared to known devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide a car emptying apparatus which is an integral part of a complete system, including a car advancing and positioning means, and a receiver for the material emptied from the car including a regulated feeder to control delivery of the material onto a conveyer.
Another object of the invention is to provide a rail car emptying system adapted for control by a microprocessor, so as to achieve substantially complete automation of operation of the system.
Still another object is to provide a more simplified car emptying apparatus and a material receiver which are compatible in use with a commercial car positioning mechanism.